Lace-curtain stretcher.



No. 636,8l2. Patented Nov. I4, 1899. J. KLEMENZ.

LACE CURTAIN STRETCHER.

(Application filed Sept. 3, 1898.)

(No Model.)

J67? nJliZem 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

JOHN KLEMENZ, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

LACE-CURTAIN STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 636,812, dated November14, 1899. Application filed September 3, 1898. Serial No. 690.201. (Nomodel.)

b all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN KLEMENZ, resid- 'ing at Louisville, in thecounty of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new anduseful Lace-Curtain Stretcher, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is in the nature of a lace-curtain stretcher,and has foritsobject to cheapen and simplify such devices and render them moreeffective and durable.

With this object in view myinvent-ion con sists in a stretcher-frameprovided with side pieces centrally divided and connected by hinges, endpieces slotted to receive said side pieces, and stretchers or braces forholding the hinged sections of the side pieces properly distended.

My invention further consists in the improved construction, arrangement,and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterwardspecifically pointed out in the claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention mostnearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed todescribe its construction and operation, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention in position forpractical operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the hinged sidepieces in a different position. Fig. 3 is a detail view, being alongitudinal section through the joint between the inner sections of oneof the side pieces in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts wherever they occur inthe different figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A A B B are the sections of theside pieces, which are centrally secured together by means of the hingesO and D. In order that the hinges may be securely attached,reinforcing-blocks E E E E are secured to the under sides of the innerends of said sections and the hinges secured partly to the sectionsthemselves and partly to these reinforcing blocks, which blocks SGIXGalso as a rest upon which to support the central portion of the frame.

Pivotally secured to the under side of one of the blocks E is a brace orstretcher rod F, which passes through the loop or keeper G, secured tothe under side of the corresponding block E, said stretcher-rod F beingprovided with outward-projecting hooks H bent at right angles to theirbody portions, as at h, and which are adapt-ed to engage with the sideof theloop G, and thus hold the sections A A B B in their extendedpositions while stretching a curtain, the right-angular portions of thehooks being designed to engage the side of the loop to prevent a lateraldisplacement of the brace.

I .T are end pieces in which the side pieces engage, said end piecesbeing provided with perforations or holes I J which are made to registerwith similar perforations or holes A B in the side pieces to receivepins or bolts K to secure the parts of the frame together. Said boltspassing entirely through the side sections to the double or bifurcatedends of the end pieces and some distance below them serve as legs orsupports upon which the outer ends of the frame may rest upon the floor.

Having thus described the construction of my invention, I will nowproceed to describe its operation.

The parts being joined together, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, thelace curtain or other goods to be stretched is placed upon the frame bypressing it down upon the pins L, with which all of the parts of theframe are provided, until the whole of its edges are properly secured onthe frame. The central bracerod F is then pressed inward, the operatorinthe meantime drawing the sections B and B out-ward until the curtain isproperly stretched in width, when the brace-piece F will be secured byengaging one of the hooks H over the inner edge of the loop G, whichwill detain the side sections in their outer distended positions,properly stretching the curtain in that direction.

The curtain may be stretched lengthwise by moving the pins K, whichconnect the end pieces with the side sections, readjusting said parts bysecuring the pins or bolts K in holes near the ends of said sidesections.

The advantages attending the use of my invention will be obvious fromthe-foregoing description.

The hinges of the side sections not only permit of their being foldedinto one-half the space which rigid sections of the same size wouldoccupy, resulting in economy of storage-room and greater ease inhandling, but also permit the proper stretching of the whole length ofthe curtain sidewise in a manner superior to any stretcher with which Iam acquainted.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the best means now known to mefor carrying outmy invention, I wish it to be understood that I do notrestrict myself to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, but hold that any slight changes or variations such as mightsuggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would clearly fall Withinthe limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A cuMain-stretcher, comprising a frame consisting of the bifurcatedend sections, side bars centrally hinged and adapted to swing inwardlyat said central portion, a transversely-extending brace pivoted to oneof said side bars at one end, and at the other end carrying a pluralityof outwardly extending hooks, having their ends bent at right angles, aguide or loop secured to the opposite side bar th rough which saidtransverse brace extends and which is engaged by said hooks to adjustthe said frame to any predetermined position, said right-angularportions adapted to prevent a lateral displacement of the brace,substantially as described.

2. In a curtain-stretcher, the combination with a frame, of thepivotally-securcd brace extending transversely of said frame, hookssecured to the free end of the brace, a loop secured on one of the sidebars of the frame, through which the brace extends and which is engagedby said hooks, said hooks having right-angular projections adapted tooverlap one of the sides of the loop, whereby the brace is insuredagainst a lateral displacement, substantially as shownand described.

JOHN KLEMENZ.

\Vitnesses:

GEORG KLEMENZ, JosEPH KLUDEE.

